Venetian blind and tilt control mechanism therefor



Aug. 11, 1959 K. T. KIEFER VENETIAN BLIND AND TILT CONTROL MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Feb. 28, 1957 fiyj. 13

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

' Aug. 11, 1959 K. T. KIEFER VENETIAN BLIND AND TILT CONTROL MECHANISM THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1957 I INVENTOR. X11122 7. 165F111? descrip on which follows.

United tates Patent l ce vENETIAN BLIND AND TILT CONTROL MECHANISM THEREFOR Kurt T. Kiefer, Chicago, 11]. Application February 28, 1957, Serial NO. 643,154 2 Claims. (Cl. 160-168) The invention relates to improvements in a control mechanism for Venetian blinds particularly of the vertical semi-rigid slat type. A new form of actuator is provided for effecting horizontal sliding of the slats and for insuring that each slat is positioned with its plane perpendicular to the plane of the blind during such horizontal sliding so as to avoid the possibility of damage and, further, to allow the slats to be gathered together as closely as possible so as to allow for the widest possible window opening.

The sliding of the slats in Venetian blinds of this kind is horizontal and is usually of the convergent-divergent type, wherein the Venetian blind installation has two halves which are moved symmetrically with respect to the vertical-center line of the window opening. It is an important object of these installations that such movement should be truly horizontal and symmetrical, that is, that non-vertical positions of the slats should be safely avoided and that the maximum or a partial opening of the blind should be precisely the same in each half. Moreover, it is universally required that this operation be performed by a. mere pull on pull-cords, as used also in other drape installations; such cords being required to be soft and flexible. I

The slats are also intended to be tilted in vertical planes for controlling and varying the light shuttering effect of the Venetian blind. In this respect it is vital that the angularity of tilting should be the same for all of the slatsof theentire installation, irrespective of whether they are to the right or left of the vertical center line. Furthermore, in the present disclosure the tilt control means is operatively connected to the slide control means so that the former may be actuated upon operation of the latter to restore all of the slats to a predetermined position relative to the plane of the blind.

The present construction also includes a novel self-engaging latch in the mounting members for the lead slat on each half of the blind. This latch functions not only to detachably connect the two halves of the blind when the latter are extended across a window, but it serves to afford resistance to sliding of said members when the halves are drawn away from each other while gathering the slats so'as to insure positive actuation of the slide control mechanism in a manner that will return all of the slats to parallel planes perpendicular to the plane of the blind should they have been lying in any plane other than such perpendicular planes.

Another object is to provide novel mechanism for mounting each slat in a Venetian blind structure on and for' moving it along a horizontal guide track; and for facilitating tiltingof the slats into and out of difierent planes relative to the plane of the Venetian blind in conjunction with, or independently of, operation of the slide means.

- -Other'features of the new installation relate to the details of structure and will be explained more fully in the A preferred embodiment of an exemplary structure is disclosed in this description and 2,898,985 Patented Aug 11, 1 9 59 in the drawings appended hereto, with the understanding that a number of modifications can be made within the scope of the claims appended at the end hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1. is a front elevational view of a Venetian blind installation as viewed from the inside of a room and with the vertical slats in open position and fully extended. Fig 2 is a fragmentary enlarged detail view of the mounting of several of the slats constituting a Venetian blind and particularly illustrating the lead slats and latch means provided on each half of the Venetian blind set.

Fig. 3 is 'a fragmentary detail side elevational view showing the latch means illustrated in Fig. 2, but in separated condition.

Fig. 4 is a transverse detail sectional view taken substantially on line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

, Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevational view of the tilt control and slide control mechanisms.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 8- 8 of Fig. 5. V

Fig. 9 is a detail view of one of the slat mounting members, showing its cover plate removed so as to disclose the slidable slat tilting mechanism therein con.- a ne V Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 1%10 of Fig. 9, showing the cover plate in position. 'Re: f erring particularly to Fig. 1, the installation coin prises a set of vertically elongated Venetian blind slats 11, preferably made of steel or other semi-rigid material withstanding the normal mechanical conditions of use and maintenance. Since the installation per se is semi-rigid, sufiicient rigidity is provided in each slat to transmit tilting impulses from its top mounting or suspension means to the bottom of each slat. The upper end of each slat is mounted on a horizontal track 12 through the medium of amounting member 13 to be described in detail hereinafter. The track 12 is firmly secured to the bottom face of an inverted channel 14- which may be secured to the inside bottom face of the top of a window operi ing 15.

The Venetian blind of Fig. 1 can be opened or closed, that is, shifted laterally in symmetrical manner about the vertical center line 16, by slide-control means shown at the upper right in Fig. l and generally including the usual pair of pull-cords 1718 and which will be discussed in detail hereinafter. A tilt-control means and actuator 20 is also provided preferably at the opposite end of the window opening (left han'd side as viewed in Fig. l). Thistilt-control means and actuator includes actuable pull-cords 19-21.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 9, it will be observed that the mounting members 13 are interconnected for' simultaneous operation of slider elements therein contained by a tilt-rod 22. The tilt-rod 22 extends through all of the mounting members 13 and has one of its ends journalled, in a manner to be described presently, in the tilt control means and actuator 20 and its other end in the slide control means. The tilt-rod preferably is provided with one flat surface 23 throughout its length but obviously may be grooved or otherwise formed to provide a non-circular section.

. Referring now particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, the end of the tilt-rod 22 mounted in the tilt control means 20 is pivotally secured on the axis of the tilt-rod 22 to a vertical end wall 28 which is secured to and depends from the channel 14. The teeth 27 are in constant mesh with the teeth of a pinion 29 firmly secured axially to one face of a pulley 31 which is pivotally mounted, as at 32, to the depending end wall 28. It should be quite apparent that upon rotation of the pulley 31in either direction, rotation of the U-shaped bracket 25 is effected, consequently the tilt-rod 22 may be rotated into any selected position by controlled rotation of the pulley 31. Such rotation of the pulley 31 may be effected in the usual manner, as by training thereover a cord 33 having its pull-cord portions 19 and 21 extending freely through a guide bracket 34 secured firmly to the plate 28.

Rotation of the tilt-rod 22 functions to cause the slats 11 to be rotated about vertical axes in their mountings from positions perpendicular to the plane of the blind into positions parallel thereto, and vice versa. The specific mechanism for rotating each of the slats is contained in each of the mounting members 13 and such means is operatively connected to the tilt-rod 22 so as to be actuated in unison thereby. Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10, each mounting member 13 comprises a substantially rectangular casing fabricated from sheet metal. Each mounting member 13, except the two supporting the lead slats on each side of the vertical center of the blind, is provided in its upper end wall 35 with a nylon slide guide 36 which is suitably formed to engage the track 12 and thereby permit longitudinal sliding of the mounting member therealong. Mounted within each of the mounting members is a substantially U-shaped slide 37 provided on one of its legs with inwardly facing rack teeth 38 and formed on its bight portion 39 with an opening 41 adapted to co-act with a slat suspension element 42.

The slat suspension element 42 may be fabricatedin any fashion; however, it is preferred that it comprise a strip of sheet metal suitably twisted at one end so as to provide a helix 43 for co-acting with the opening 41, and having a horizontally ofiset portion 44 from which depends a pivot detent 45 which is journalled in an ear 46 on the mounting member casing. The other end portion of the element 42 is shaped to form a hook 47 that is extended through an opening 48 in the upper terminal margin of a slat 11. It should be apparent that upon vertical sliding of the U-shaped slide 37, the helix 43 is acted upon to rotate the suspension element 42 about its axis 45 and thereby move the plane of the related slat 11 about a vertical axis into or out of the plane of the blind.

Such vertical movement of the slide 37 is effected by operation of a gear segment 49 journalled in the back wall of the mounting member 13 and in a covering plate 51 forming a part of said casing. This gear segment has an opening therethrough corresponding in shape to the cross section of the tilt-rod 22 which extends through it; consequently, any rotation imparted to the tilt-rod 22 underside of the channel 14 is secured firmly to a similar plate 59 extending laterally from the opposed mounting member 13 on the group of slats on the opposite side of the vertical center of the blind. Each of these plates 7 58-59 carries one of the nylon slide guides 36 so as to mount the members on the track 12. A spring latch 61 is secured to one of these nylon slide guides by means of one or more rivets 62. The spring latch 61 is of a length and it extends in a direction to enable its bent extremity to co-act with the nylon slide guide 36 on the opposed mounting member 13 when the slats are fully extended, as shown in Fig. 2. When the latch 61 is thus engaged, more than the amount of pull normally required to gather the slats is required in order to disengage the latch. This requirement for the use of excessive pulling force is put to a useful purpose now to be described.

As noted hereinbefore, the pull-cords 17 and 18 are trained over a roller 55 carried on the free end of a bracket 56. The bracket 56 is journalled freely at its other end on the axis 63 of the wheel 52 and one of its walls 56a is substantially rectangular in shape whereas its other wall 56b is substantially triangular in shape and is provided adjacent its pivoted end with a projection 64 that extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the main portion of the wall 56b laterally therefrom in the direction of the tilt-rod 22 and closely adjacent to the depending end Wall 54. The end of the tilt-rod 22 associated with the slide control means is journalled in one wall of an inverted U-shaped element generally indicated at 65. This element constitutes an eccentric member and it includes a wall 66, through and in which the tilt-rod 22 is anchored, and a bearing wall 67 spaced therefrom and connected thereto by a bridging wall portion 68. The bearing wall 67 is pivotally secured to the depending wall 54 on an axis that is in axial alignment with the axis of the tilt-rod 22.

When the tilt-rod 22 is in the position illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the slats 11 are positioned with their planes substantially in the plane of the blind. Should an at tempt be made to gather the slats by operation of the slide control means, initial operation of said means will automatically rotate the slats into positions perpendicular to the plane of the blind, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, so that they can be gathered compactly. The automatic movement of the slats from one position angularly relais transmitted to the gear segment for raising or lower- 7 ing the slide member 37 and tilting the slat.

As stated hereinbefore, the Venetian blind illustrated can be extended or gatheredupon engaging either of the pull-cords 17 or 18. Upon referring to Figs. 5 and 8, it will be noted that the pull-cords 17 and 18.are trained over a pulley or wheel 52 mounted for free rotation in a bracket 53 that is firmly secured to and depends from the channel 14 inwardly of a depending end Wall 54. The pull-cord 17 extends from its free operating end upwardly over a roller 55 carried on the free end of a bracket 56 (to be more fully described hereinafter) and then around the wheel 52 and horizontally to the left, as viewed in Fig. 5, along the bottom face of the channel 14. The cord then is carried around a vertically journalled pulley 57, also mounted on the underface of the channel 14 but adjacent to the tilt-control mechanism at the far end of said channel, from where it returns horitive thereto is effected upon initial sharp application of a pulling force on either or both of the pull-cords 17 and 18. When such force is applied, the bracket 56 is rocked downwardly about its pivotal mounting 63 so as to carry the top edge 69 (Figs. 7-8) of the extension 64, upwardly against the underside of the bridging wall 68 of the U-shaped element 65, thereby rotating said element from the full line position illustrated in Fig. 7 into substantially the dotted line position there illustrated. When the parts are in such dotted line position, the tilt-rod has been 1'0- tated sufficiently to restore all of the slats to positions perpendicular to the plane of the blind. In the event that the tilt-rod 22 has been rotated into a position opposed to that shown in full lines in Fig. 7, rocking action of the bracket 56 will likewise cause a portion of the top edge 69 of extension 64 to bear against and move the bridging wall 68 and thereby restore the slats to the desired planular positions.

Both the upper and lower extremities of the vertical slats are loosely interconnected by slat links to minimize friction and to insure proper spacing between the slats when they are fully or partially extended. Such links are perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 2 and are shown and claimed in my application Serial Number 436,429, filed June 14, 1954, on which Patent No. 2,785,743 was issued on March 19, 1957. Each link comprises a strip of suitable plastic material 71 each of which is provided at one of its ends with a vertically disposed bearing portion 72. In the case of the bottom row of links 71, each bearing portion 72 has journalled therein a bracket 73 securely clamped or otherwise attached to the lower extremity of a related slat 11. In the instance of the top row of links 71, each bearing portion 72 has one of the nylon slides 36 journalled thereto. The end of each link 71 having the bearing portion 72 thereon is further provided with a vertically disposed end slot 74 (Figs. 3-4) through which the free hooked end 75 of the link on the next adjacent slat extends. The links 71 provided at the upper ends of the slats 11 are extended through openings 76 in the mounting members 13.

The bottom of the extended blind, on each side of the vertical center, preferably is interlocked. The lock, which is best illustrated in Fig 2 at 77, is fully described and claimed in my Patent No. 2,731,082, granted J an. 17, 1956. Briefly described, it consists of an elongated member 78 firmly secured to the lead slat 11 of one of the blind halves, which member has an upwardly opening trough 79 on its free end to receive the body portion of a companion latch element 81 carried on the opposed lead slat. The latch element has a downturned hook portion 82 for engagement over one end edge of the bottom wall of the trough 79. When the blind is to be gathered, the upper ends thereof initially move apart thereby causing the cooperating latch members 78 and 81 to rock upwardly on the vertical center of the blind to thereby become disengaged automatically.

It will be obvious to persons skilled in this art that a variety of modifications can be applied within the scope of this invention. This scope is claimed as follows:

1. A Venetian blind structure having a plurality of vertically extending slats arranged in a vertical plane with a substantially like number of slats on each side of the vertical center thereof comprising a horizontally extending track, separate means mounting each slat at its upper end for horizontal sliding on said track, pivotal means connecting each slat on its vertical axis to its mounting means for permitting rotation of said slats so as to dispose the planes of said slats at right angles to or parallel with the plane of said blind structure, operating means including a tilt-rod to rotate all of said slats in unison into and out of said planes, cord means operable to slide all of said slats on each side of the vertical center along said track in opposite directions to extend or gather the slats, means connecting adjacent slats on said side of the vertical center to insure uniform spacing of the slats when the blind is extended and to permit them to lie one against the other when the blind is gathered, an eccentric member mounted firmly on said tilt-rod, means engageable with said eccentric member when the slats are not at right angles to the plane of the blind structure and movable in response to operation of said cord means to restore the slats to positions perpendicular to the plane of the blind upon initial operation of said cord means.

2. An actuator for a Venetian blind set actuable to operate means to gather, extend and tilt the slats thereof, said actuator comprising a bracket mounting a wheel over which slat gathering and extending pull-cords are trained, a movable guide for the operating ends of said pull-cords, means including a tilt-rod actuable to tilt the slats to open and close the blind, an eccentric on said rod, a cam lever on said guide lying in the path of and engageable with the eccentric at all times, said guide being movable upon initial application of pulling force on the pull-cords while gathering or extending the slats to cause the cam lever to move the eccentric into a predetermined position should it have been in any other position of rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,135,647 Streby Nov. 8, 1938 2,540,384 Twyner Feb. 6, 1951 2,594,637 Gertzon Apr. 29, 1952 2,731,082 Kiefer Jan. 17, 1956 2,755,854 Mclntire July 24, 1956 2,759,534 Harju Aug. 21, 1956 2,768,679 Kiefer Oct. 30, 1956 

